Anyone found the roads less busy and/or motorists driving better?

[Cyril Haearn]

Seems that traffic in London is picking up a bit, but there's still a lot of people walking and running right in the middle of the roads, or away from the footpath anyway.
This is becoming increasingly a problem due to the need for social distancing some people may have, and rightfully so. However, a general rule that was acceptable and relatively easy to deal with, cannot be managed in the same way right now that more vehicles are on the road.

I hope the authorities can do something about. My feelings are that is not the time, if there's ever been one, to increase or promote angst in any manner.

Sadiq Khan has a visionary plan to restrict motor traffic in London, I read about it in the Guardian

[Jdsk]

From today's Ministers' briefing:



Jonathan

[fastpedaller]

Busier in rural Norfolk this Sunday .... Did 53 miles, overtaken by first 3 cars at 24 miles, total car overtakes 6 and (worse still) got overtaken by a bike! don't know how many miles he'd done (I'd done 50 by then), and he was riding carbon
Last Saturday, 32 miles and wasn't overtaken once (that's some sort of record I think )
ETA The number of cyclist I saw yesterday outnumbered the cars by a considerable margin

[Oldjohnw]

Went for a walk in Cheviots today. Empty roads and we saw not a single other person out walking.

[Cyril Haearn]

Back to normal

Just read about an 'accident' or rather several
One driver braked for an animal that was crossing the road. The driver behind could not stop in time and the one behind him likewise... in all FIVE vehicles all crashed into each other/the first vehicle. All five had been following too close

M*****ns is the word I think

[The utility cyclist]

Back to normal

Just read about an 'accident' or rather several
One driver braked for an animal that was crossing the road. The driver behind could not stop in time and the one behind him likewise... in all FIVE vehicles all crashed into each other/the first vehicle. All five had been following too close

M*****ns is the word I think

And I bet none troubled by the police either similar to after the big pile up in Kent a few years back due to people driving too closely and travelling at excessive speed for the conditions
All highly predictable with the insane rules for public transport and the continual ignorance of cycling as a solution not just for transport but the health of the nation and saving the NHS from its immanent collapse.
The last two week I've noticed I've had to come to a complete stop more often than not (so replicating the norm) at one junction onto the main :through road of my 35K population town, this being 07:45.

[Jdsk]

... the continual ignorance of cycling as a solution not just for transport but the health of the nation and saving the NHS from its immanent collapse.

Cycling should be a part of an integrated transport policy that emphasises improved physical and mental health as one of its major objectives... but the lead time between the intervention and the benefits is too long to save the NHS from anything. That's going to take expenditure.

Jonathan

[The utility cyclist]

... the continual ignorance of cycling as a solution not just for transport but the health of the nation and saving the NHS from its immanent collapse.

Cycling should be a part of an integrated transport policy that emphasises improved physical and mental health as one of its major objectives... but the lead time between the intervention and the benefits is too long to save the NHS from anything. That's going to take expenditure.

Jonathan

I would say a large number of the 60,000 premature deaths every year from pollution are preventable and the hospitalisation that leads to that, changing the health of an obese person can take a relatively short time, it might prevent them and many hundreds of thousands of others from needing treatment, or as much treatment or keeping them out of hospital.
It's never too long and direct expenditure to the NHS is pretty much futile as the system/NHS is broken and has been long before the Conservatives came into power.
If we don't make changes now then there is no hope for the NHS no matter how much money is pumped into it, it's throwing good money after bad IMO.

[Jdsk]

... changing the health of an obese person can take a relatively short time, it might prevent them and many hundreds of thousands of others from needing treatment, or as much treatment or keeping them out of hospital.

Changing the mass can be done quite quickly. (Although it's often stated in these forums that exercise has little or no effect on mass.) Reducing the major risks of atherosclerosis and cancer has a lead time of many years and possibly a few decades.

Some aspects of mental health might respond quicker.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

I would say a large number of the 60,000 premature deaths every year from pollution are preventable and the hospitalisation that leads to that...

The lead time for pollution is tricky. I tend not to think of it as acute poisoning with a short lead time, but rather as chronic burden on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

And more cycling doesn't intrinsically lead to much lower pollution. Less use of motorised vehicles does. That's why we need an integrated transport policy.

Jonathan

[The utility cyclist]

... changing the health of an obese person can take a relatively short time, it might prevent them and many hundreds of thousands of others from needing treatment, or as much treatment or keeping them out of hospital.

Changing the mass can be done quite quickly. (Although it's often stated in these forums that exercise has little or no effect on mass.) Reducing the major risks of atherosclerosis and cancer has a lead time of many years and possibly a few decades.

Some aspects of mental health might respond quicker.

Jonathan

Changing ones health can be done in a short space of time, the mass isn't the focus, it's the body fat, but also continual car driving increases pollution levels for the operator and for everyone else, so there's a cumulative benefit for all as well as the individual.

An intervention now can reap rewards well within 12 months, multiply that say by a million people and that's a hell of a lot of money just in the first year alone saved just from having to have one hospital appointment.
Whilst this isn't going to be the case for everyone, significant numbers of obese people who start up cycling/exercise, change their lifestyle can do enough to stave off costing the NHS and the sooner they do that the greater the chance of reducing the use of NHS or worse, half a day out with the undertaker.

[Clouded Leopard]

Out last weekend cycling on quiet country lanes in the Ribble Valley. Heard a gentle beep of a car horn. Looked behind to spy a BMW X series. I saw a small pull in about 100 yards up the lane so pulled over. The car driver stopped and apologised for sounding his horn and thanked me for pulling over. We chatted and both went on our way. Nice to see some courtesy for a change.

[Cyril Haearn]

Cars should be fitted with friendly bells for that porpoise

[boris]

I never thought of that. Good idea. Or turn the radio up ,maybe on classic FM, and drop a window.

[Clouded Leopard]

Cars should be fitted with friendly bells for that porpoise

My ambulance was fitted with bells way back in the early 70’s. Made a great, melodious sound.